The ex-wife of a celebrity photographer has admitted killing her disabled ten-year-old son when vital care was withdrawn during the coronavirus lockdown.
Olga Freeman, 40, had a breakdown while under pressure to look after son Dylan, suffocating him at their home in Acton, west London, and leaving his body under a duvet surrounded by toys.
The Old Bailey heard Dylan, who had autism and a range of conditions restricting his sight and communication which mean he needed 24-hour care, had previously been attending a special school five-days-a-week.
“During lockdown he was not able to attend school, the burden of care had fallen more heavily on the defendant”, prosecutor Joel Smith told the court.
“(She) had been struggling to meet Dylan's care needs for the last year as he became older and bigger and more difficult to care for.”
The prosecutor said a friend had been helping Freeman out for around 12-hours a week, but the mother’s appeal to her local council for more assistance had not been successful.
Today, Freeman appeared at court via videolink from hospital to plead not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter by diminished responsibility, following assessments by psychiatrists of her mental health.
“The three psychiatrists all agree that the defendant’s responsibility at the time of the act of the killing was diminished and at a low level, for the reason she was suffering from a depressive illness with psychotic symptoms in the lead-up to the offence”, said Jane Bickerstaff QC, representing Freeman.
Freeman’s ex-husband is renowned lifestyle and fashion photographer Dean Freeman, whose has published photography books on David Beckham, the Spice Girls, Kelly Brook and Michael Buble.
The father, who was away in the Spain in August last year, was “beyond devastated” by his son’s death and said in a statement: “Dylan was a beautiful, bright, inquisitive and artistic child who loved to travel, visit art galleries and swim.
“We travelled extensively over the years together spending such memorable time in places including Brazil, France and Spain. I can’t begin to comprehend his loss.”
The court heard a friend, Edita Surpickaja, had noticed Freeman struggling with her son’s care needs over the previous year, as his behaviour became “especially challenging”.
“Ms Surpickaja had only been able to offer assistance for around 12 hours per week and had noticed a decline in the defendant's mental health”, said Mr Smith.
Six days before Dylan’s death, Ms Surpickaja said Freeman made a worrying comment about being “the second Jesus”. On August 15 the friend spent part of the day helping with Dylan’s care, and was called by Freeman in the evening asking her to return to the Acton home.
Freeman was insisting she had to go to Jerusalem, before admitting she had killed her son and it was “best for him”. She added: “This is my job: to sacrifice my beloved child to create a balance in this world.”
Dylan’s body was found under a duvet in the master bedroom with toys lying close to him. Freeman later told police she had used a bra and her hands to kill her son, and had also put a piece of sponge in his throat to stop him from breathing.
“She had then placed his body where he liked to sleep with his toys to allow him to die with ‘dignity and kindness’”, the prosecutor said Freeman had told officers.
Kristen Katsouris, from the CPS said: “This was a tragic death of a child at the hands of his mother who was struggling to cope.
“Olga Freeman had loved and cared for Dylan for many years, but the strain and pressures of her son’s severe and complex special needs had built up and that combined with her impaired mental health led to heart-breaking consequences.”
Mrs Justice Cheema Grubb adjourned sentencing until next month when she will consider detaining Freeman in hospital for mental health treatment.
